President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on a visit to Benue State’s capital, Makurdi, today, extended his condolences to victims of the recent attacks in Yelewata community, Guma Local Government Area. The visit comes in the wake of deadly assaults allegedly carried out by suspected herdsmen, resulting in the death of scores of residents.
Received by Governor Fr. Hyacinth Alia, President Tinubu addressed a gathering of political leaders, traditional rulers, and community stakeholders, where he restated his commitment to democratic values and national unity — even in the face of harsh criticism.
“Not everybody will like you in politics, they hate me like hell too, but I’m here, I am the President. I will even protect my abusers and accusers with the principle of democracy, freedom and prosperity,” he said.
Tinubu emphasised that elected leaders must prioritise peace and development over mourning avoidable tragedies.
“You are elected under the progressive banner to ensure there is peace, stability and progress… You are not elected to bury people. We’ll work with you to achieve that peace,” he stated.
While reiterating his administration’s dedication to resolving the region’s security issues, the President also touched on the underlying tensions reportedly linked to land disputes.
“What is the cause of this conflict? I heard […] about land grabbing, but if we learn how to share and how to accommodate, we’ll have enough land to feed, to raise our children,” he said.
Though Tinubu was scheduled to visit Yelewata, he disclosed that his trip was aborted due to poor road conditions and heavy rain. Nonetheless, he promised federal government intervention in rebuilding the ravaged community.
“I aborted my visit to Yelewata because of the rain, bad roads, and particularly seeing the ruins, and the carnage on camera. We’ll do something to the re-development and recreation of that environment.”
President Tinubu’s visit signals a renewed federal interest in peace-building efforts across Nigeria’s conflict-prone regions.
